


Contortionists

by Nympha_Alba



Category: Merlin (TV) RPF
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-04-20
Updated: 2011-04-20
Packaged: 2017-10-18 10:34:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 448
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/188041
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nympha_Alba/pseuds/Nympha_Alba
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bradley hates small planes and transatlantic flights, because not everyone is a contortionist.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Contortionists

"I wish they'd book us into Business Class," Bradley grumbles as he tries and fails to find a reasonably comfortable position. "And I'm not even that tall. I can't even imagine Rupert's pain when he's on board planes."

"Mph," is Colin's reply. He's already half asleep, curled into an impossible human knot in his seat with a hoodie cushioning his head against the window. "There's a free seat between us, if you hadn't noticed. Fold the armrest and you have plenty of space."

Bradley waits until Colin's closed his eyes before he grumpily follows the advice.

"We can't all be contortionists, Morgan," he mutters, and then spends a good five minutes fighting the mental images conjured up by the word "contortionist".

 _Colin's head thrown back, long legs hooked over Bradley's shoulders…_ If he keeps thinking about Colin that way he's not sure he'll survive the journey. God, he hates transatlantic flights.

*

 

He wakes up with a crick in his neck; his back is freezing but his front is warm and cosy. Confused, he lifts his head and meets Colin's eyes very close to his own, sleepy with a smile in them.

"Hello," Colin murmurs so quietly Bradley can barely hear it above the hum of the engines.

It seems they've slept spooned up, with Bradley's body fit snugly around Colin-the-human-knot and an arm wrapped protectively around him.

"This is so embarrassing," Bradley mutters, sitting up to stretch arms and legs and neck into shape. Everything aches. They must have been in this weird position for hours.

Next to him, Colin uncurls and mirrors the stretching. "I thought it was nice. I'm always miserably cold on flights and you're really, really warm."

Bradley throws him a glance, unsure what to make of the soft note in Colin's voice, but something in the pit of his stomach tells him he likes it very much. Colin is looking down at his hands, smiling like he knows a secret he's not sure whether to share.

"Still sleepy?" Bradley asks on impulse. When Colin nods, he adds: "Let's switch seats."

Colin looks surprised but complies, and after some scrambling and climbing Bradley's in the window seat stuffing Colin's hoodie and one of those awful airline blankets between his back and the icy wall.

"Come here."

The lights in the cabin are switched off but Bradley can see Colin blushing, a wave of blood rising under the pale skin. He slides quietly into the seat and arranges himself against Bradley, pulling Bradley's arms around him and another blanket, crackling with static electricity, over them both.

When they fall asleep again, Bradley's lips are touching Colin's hair and his hand is splayed over Colin's heart.


End file.
